Bather&#39;s box



Sept. 14 1926. 4 1,599552 I A. CRANSTON BATHER'S BOX Filed April 22;1925 INVENTOR fizThQ/E CF/IMSTUA/ ATTORNEY required for it either in thecontainer body Patented Sept. '14, 1926.

1 UNITED STAT-ES .ARTHU-R CRANSTON, ATLANTIC CITY NEW JERSEY.

BATHERS BOX.

Application filed April 22, 1925. Serial m. 24,990.

My invention relates to boxes, or portable containers, especiallyadapted for outdoor use by sportsmen and bathers.

The general object is to provide a container which is usually ofmoderate size and which may be easily opened and closed, and which willenclose articles of convenience or utility, such for example ascigarettes or other tobacco, matches, jewels, paper money and otherthings which it is convenient or necessary to guard against loss andmore especially to protect from moisture. container is referred to as abathers box because use by bathers represents the most severe service ofa waterproof container; but evidently the invention is not limited inutility, and the containers may be employedby any persons or in anylocations where a watertight and secure receptacle of this class isneeded.

Briefly described, the invention as physically embodied consists of ahollow container body, which is usually relatively shallow, of moderatewidth, and somewhat greater length, provided with suitable interiorcompartments or equipment for holding or separating different articles,and having a movable or removable cover co-operating with a watertightseal or asket to render the container waterproof w en the cover isproperly secured. An improved hinge is provided, which may be used whendesired to movablysecure the cover to the body without interference withthe proper closing of the cover and tight sealing of the container. Animproved fastener is also provided, which may be quickly andeasilyoperated to tightly secure the cover in position or to release the coverfor opening, and this astener is so devised that no aperture is orcover,and therefore the fastener does not interfere with the complete tightseal provided between the cover and the body.

The accompanying drawings show one representative embodiment of theinvention. After considering this example, skilled persons willunderstand that many variations maybe made without departing from theinvention, and I contemplate the employment of any structures that areproperly within the scope of the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container embodying the invention inone form, with the cover closed and fastened.

Fig. 2 shows the cover in open position.

The

3 is a longitudinal section.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section at 4.4, Figure 1.

The container consists mainly of a body B and a cover C. Evidently theform or relative dimensions of the container may be varied greatly,since the sealin means, hinge, andfastener are not depemfient upon anyspecific shape or contour of the container. Evidently, as shown, thebody B may. be relatively low or shallow to avoid undue bulk orprojection from the body of the user, of moderate width, and usually ofsubstantially greater length, and with rounded vertical corners 1, asshown. Since it will usually be more convenient for sportsmen to attachsuch a container to a belt, and since it is practically necessary forbathers to attach it to the belt of the bathing suit, the bottom of thebody is usually provided with belt loops 2. These may be omitted if thecontainer is intended for pocket use..

To contain a suitable packing or gasket 3,

a continuous channel or pocket 4 is formed at the periphery of the odywall.

smooth vertical contour, and the channel 4 is formed by providing aninwardly projecting horizontal flange 5 and a vertical flange 6, to formthe deep channel 4 in the bottom of which the gasket 3 is located. Thegasket is usually of rubber or a suitable rubber Desirably, the outerface of the body wall has aplaced on the body and pressed down tight,

the gasket is deeply "compressed and provides' an absolutely.watertlghtseal for the complete protection of the container contents.

Various locking or fastening devices may be provided. Preferably thefastener is so devised that it does not require the formation of anyaperture in the body or cover, and does not interfere with the smooth orcontinuous contour of the gasket channel, or the gasket-compressingflange 11. Specifically, in the present embodlment the fastenercomprises two parallel, slidable bolts 14, movable between parallelflanges 15 formed on the cover top. Relatively opposite ends of thebolts co-operate with the sockets 17 formed in lugs 18 which arepreferably integral with the side walls of the body, or however formed,project above the cover to properly confront the bolt ends 16. Theselugs and their sockets 17 need be only long enough to accommodate therespective bolt ends, but for the sake of symmetrical appearance may besomewhat longer, so that the lugs are opposite and of the same length. Acentral portion of each bolt at its inner side is cutaway to form arecess 20, and these confronting recesses combine to form an openingaround a screw 21 secured to the cover. In the specific example shown,the inner end of the screw is shown riveted tightly in a hole in thecover, so that no moisture can gain entrance at that point and thereforethe cover is, in effect, unapertured. Otherwise, the screw may beinserted in a lug formed in the cover, or may be cast in place, so thatthere is actually no aperture through the cover for the reception of thescrew. -Pivotally mounted about the screw upon the bolts is an operatinglever 25, one

or both ends of which project somewhat beyond the ribs 15 to formconvenient finger pieces or handles 26. The lever is provided with slotsor sockets 27 to accommodate pins 28 set in' the respective bolts. Athumb nut 30 is engaged upon the screw above the lever.

hen the cover is positioned on the body and forced down to sufficientlycompress the gasket, the bolt ends 16 are moved into their sockets 17 bymanipulation of the lever pins 26, and secured by screwing down the nut30, and the bolts then retain the cover tightly in position. It issufficient in some cases to so form or arrange the bolts that they havea simple locking or retaining action Without leverage effect. This issuflicient to retain the gasket in proper compre ion when the cover isforced down by finger pressure a proper distance, and the sockets 17 areproperly located with respect to the bolts. But preferably, the boltsare devised to also have a leverage eifect,-thus, the main portion orshank of each bolt is arranged, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, to have aslight clearance from the cover surface, and adjacent the locking end 16the under face of the bolt has a slightly depressed, rounded or camlikesurface 35 in contact with the cover surface. The downward curvature ofthe cam portion 35 is considerably exaggerated in t e drawing, and insome cases it is only necessary to properly curve the cover top, and theleverage effect will then be obtamed by the contact of straight bolts ofuniform thickness with this slightly curved cover formation. With theparticular arrangement shown, when the nut 30 is turned backsufficiently, the locking ends 16 of the bolts are slightly depressed asthey are moved into the sockets 17, and then when the nut is turned.down, the main portions. or shanks ofthe bolts are pulled down towardthe cover, and the locking ends 16 are at the same time moved forciblyupward in relation to the cover and by co-operation with the tops of thesockets force the cover positively down and tightly compress the gasketand at the same time of course, the bolts are locked against inadvertentretrac tion. The upper end of the screw may be slightly peened or upsetto prevent accidental removed of the nut.

It is unnecessary for some purposes to provide any hinge or definiteconnection between the cover and the body. But in some cases such aconnection is desirable, and one is provided of an improved form, sothat it does not interfere with, but facilitates the. proper location ofthe cover and its flange with relation to the gasket and the gasketchannel, and also provides for the easy movement of the cover to awide-open position. In the present embodiment, the connection consistsof a sliding-pivot hinge, comprising a substantially rectangular yoke 40secured near the top of one of the body .end walls and including sideportions 41 provided with longitudinal slots 42, in which a hinge pin 43is located. This pin passes through and istightly secured witha pressfit or otherwise in the downwardly curved head 44 of a hinge lug 45extending from the adjacent end of the cover. Thesliding location of thehinge pins in the slots 42 permits the cover as it is closed, to beproperly located in a longitudinal direction in relation to the body, ina way which will be clear in Fig. 3; and when the cover is releasedandopened, the pin may slide inward in its slots to prevent any jammingof the cover against body walls or the outer end of the yoke 40, and toafford a very wide open location of the cover entirely free from thebody, as sufficiently indicated in Fig. 2.

Interior fittings, or the arrangement or equipment of the container mayvary greatly, in accordance with its intended use. The body may bedivided into one or more compartments and one or more compartments orindividual containers may be located on the cover, such interiorarrangements are sulficiently indicated in the present example by aninner box 50. formed in. the cover C. This inner box has a slide cover51 fitting in grooves in the sides and end wall of the inner 'box andprovided with an easily accessible handle portion 52 which hasafingernail notch 53. This inner box may be used suggest themselves topersons familiar with the needs of sportsmen and other users of suchappliances.

I claim:

1. A box for use of bathers and for analogous purposes, comprising asubstantially long and flat body portion having a deep continuouscircumferential gasket recess and a compressible gasket therein, a coverhaving a deep continuous approximately peripheral flange adapted to fitwithin the recess and deeply compress the gasket to insure watertightness of the box, a hinge member projecting from the body at one endand a hinge member projecting from the adjacent end of the cover, saidhinge members having a sliding, pivotal connection to permit easy andwide opening of the cover and proper location of the cover flange in thegasket recess to uniformly compress the gasket when the cover is closed.

2. A box of the class described comprising a body having a gasket recessand a gasket therein, a cover having a flange to fit in the recess andcompress the gasket, lugs'at opposite sides of the body, projectingupward and having locking recesses, parallel bolt guides on the cover,parallel bolts slidably located side by side between said guides, op-

posite ends of the respective bolts being dein projected position andforce the adjacent portions of the bolts toward the. cover whereby theends of the bolts engaging in the locking recessesand thecam'formation's exert forcible pressure on the cover to lock it inposition and tightly compress the gasket, preventing access of moistureto the box interior.

Signed at Atlantic City in the county of Atlantic and State of NewJersey this 8th day of April A. D. 1925.

ARTHUR CRANSTON.

a screw secured in the cover and pro- 4

